WASHINGTON – Patrick Ewing’s final season in Orlando was viewed as a bust, posting career lows in every category.

By buying out his contract, the Magic all but forced Ewing into retirement and a coaching job with the Wizards. But when Ewing visited Orlando Friday night, Magic coach Doc Rivers said the center was a positive influence in his final season.

Last night Ewing faced the Knicks for the first time as a coach with the Wizards. The Knicks are expected to retire his number “33” sometime in March.

“If Patrick had healthy knees, he’d still be playing,” Rivers told reporters in Orlando. “Someone asked me was the investment we made in Patrick Ewing worth it because he didn’t give you anything on the court? I said, he gave us a lot off the court. At our exit interviews, every single guy when I asked them what do you remember most? Patrick’s name came up with darn near every single guy. They said they didn’t know he was that great a guy and never seen a guy work that hard. In essence, he taught our team about work ethic.”

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The Knicks (5-12) don’t’ do a lot of things well and one of those weak spots is getting to the free-throw line. Through 17 games, their opponents have shot 152 more free throws – 497-345. Latrell Sprewell used to be the Knicks’ best player at drawing fouls because he charged the basket and inevitably drew contact.

Upon his return from a fractured right pinkie, he seemed to be making a concerted effort of driving the ball, but that’s tapered off the past couple of games. In Friday’s despicable 91-80 loss in Boston, Sprewell didn’t have any attempts.

“We’re not attacking, we’re not getting to the line,” Don Chaney said before the Knicks faced the Wizards last night. “I don’t have an answer as to why we played so passive.”